20Oct16

U.S. service member killed in bomb blast in Iraq

A U.S. service member was killed by a bomb blast in northern Iraq on
Thursday as U.S. troops expanded their support to local forces battling the
Islamic State.

In a statement, the U.S. military said the death resulted from an improvised
explosive device but provided no further details. It is the fourth U.S. combat
casualty in Iraq since renewed military operations began in 2014, and the first
since a major offensive to reclaim the city of Mosul began earlier this week.

According to U.S. officials, the incident took place "near Mosul." The American
was injured in the blast and later died of his wounds, they said. Officials
declined to identify the service member before his family has been notified.

The fatality is an indication of the risks facing Iraqi troops, in particular, as
they push toward Islamic State lines in and around Mosul, the militant group's
chief stronghold in the country since 2014. In preparation for the assault by
local forces, militants have sown the city and villages around it with extensive
roadside bombs, trenches, tunnels and booby traps, designed to slow the
advance of Iraqi forces.

Since the operation began on Monday, the Islamic State has lost some areas
east and north of Mosul. The multipronged assault on the city includes Iraqi
counterterrorism troops, army soldiers, Kurdish peshmerga and local tribal
fighters. It is expected to be a protracted fight that will require the
street-by-street clearing of one of Iraq's largest cities.

American forces will also be exposed to greater risk during the operation, as
U.S. advisers accompany local units closer to the front lines. Already, over 100
advisers are providing assistance to Iraqi forces, helping to coordinate air and
artillery attacks, relaying intelligence, and assisting with tactical planning.

The White House has authorized U.S. commanders to place advisers with Iraqi
army battalions as they advance, similar to the advising they provide to
peshmerga and elite counterterrorism forces. The use of U.S. Apache attack
helicopters is another element of additional risk facing the U.S. military in the
Mosul operation.

The U.S. officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss
information emerging about the incident, declined to say whether the service
member was advising local forces when the incident occurred. Special
Operations forces that are part of a counterterrorism task force in Iraq have a
separate mission to hunt down militant leaders.

[Source: By Missy Ryan, The Washington Post, 20Oct16]

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